Garbage bag supporting means



Nov. 23, 1954 w. H. CRISWELL GARBAGE BAG SUPPORTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1950 WALTER H. CRISWELL ZSnuentor attorneys NOV. 23, 1954 w c L 2,695,150

GARBAGE BAG SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Dec. 30, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIA IIIII' 3nnentor (Ittornegs WALTER H. CRISWELL Nov. 23, 1954 CRISWELL 2,695,150

GARBAGE BAG SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Dec. :50, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s WALTER H. CRISWELL I'snnentor attorneys United States Patent GARBAGE BAG SUPPORTING MEANS Walter H. Criswell, Los Gatos, Application December 30, 1950, Serial No. 203,595

6 Claims. (Cl. 248-101) This present invention consists of a bag supporting device characterized by having two parallel bag supporting bars with means for insuring that both bars function similarly throughout their extent when the bag supporting device is either open or closed. Means are further provided which permit the convenient sealing of a used bag and the disconnecting of it from the supporting device all at the will of the user.

The handling of garbage is an increasingly perplexing problem as people are brought closer together in the large industrial centers. It becomes impossible in many instances for the housewife to immediately dispose of her garbage to some outside depository as has so often been practiced by the average home owner in the past, and it is especially under such conditions that a waterproof garbage bag which will contain the garbage and which can be sealed so as to prevent the giving off of unpleasant odors, appears to be the only practical solution of the problem for a great percentage of our population. The overall cleanliness of such a garbage disposal means appeals of course, to many other persons who may still have the older methods available to them. Many solutions have been made of this garbage sacking and disposal problem, however, those that have been observed have required a degree of dexterity on the part of the user which too often the user is not prepared to provide. Consequently it is believed that a garbage disposal bag that will be kept in a convenient position for use and which can be automatically sealed and dropped from the supporting means will be a great convenience for a large number of people and will serve as a proper solution for a. great number of people whom present methods do not serve.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide a garbage bag supporting means and bag for use therewith which will make disposing of garbage a simple matter and which at all times will preserve a high order of cleanliness.

A further object of my invention is to provide spaced parallel axes of rotation for two similar bag supporting members so arranged as to insure the similar functioning of each of the two separate elements which will permit the provision of a very wide opening of the sack during the period that garbage is disposed therein and which will tightly close the open end of the sack during periods between disposal.

A further object of my invention is to provide electrically heated means attached to each of the bag supporting bars which meet each other with a slight V formed between the meeting surfaces so that sealing of thermoplastic materials can be achieved and that there will be one line of greater pressure for the continued heat which will tend to sever the bag and cause it to drop from the device in a sealed condition.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the upper margins of a garbage disposal sack may be supported upon metal strips which may be.

reused with electric sealing if desired or which in themselves may provide a sealing means for the sack where electric sealing is not available or desirable.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are-inherent in the device.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main frame of my garbage bag holder;

R 2,695,150 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 Figure 2 is a perspective view of my garbage receptacle as used in a kitchen cabinet;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of my receptacle support;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through one end of my receptacle support taken along line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the heaters and cross bars of my receptacle support;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the upper end of my receptacle;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of an alternate type garbage receptacle similar to Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing how my receptacle is supported; and

Figure 9 is a schematic wiring diagram in perspective of the electrical circuit used in my receptacle support.

Referring more particularly to the, disclosure in the drawings the numeral 10 designates generally the means for supporting a garbage bag 12. The support means 10 is formed of two parallel outstanding arms 14 and 16 each of which is provided with a mounting pad 17 having holes to receive mounting screws. Two pairs of pivotally mounted upstanding arms 18 and 20 are pivotally secured to arms 14 and 16 by means of hollow hubs 19 and are spaced from support arms 14 and 16 by washers 21. A U-shaped cross bar 22 is secured to the upper ends of arms 18 and a similar cross bar 24 connects the upstanding arms 20, thus insuring the simultaneous operation of the two arms to which they are connected.

For ease of operation I have found it desirable to have arms 18 rotate in one direction automatically when arms 20 are manually rotated in the opposite direction. In order -to eliminate oversized and unsightly gears to facilitate the counterrotation, I have provided arms 18 and 20 with arcuate guide means 26 and 28 at the lower end of arms 18 and 20, and positioned concentrically with hubs 19. These guide means may be formed in a variety of ways but I have shown them formed from flat sheet stock for economical construction. Arcuate portions 26 and 28 are cut with radially extending lugs 30 and 32 which are then bent so as to extend outwardly in a staggered relation and thus form a general V-shaped groove best shown in Figures 3 and 4 extending around their peripheries. Positioned within these V slots I have provided flexible actuating members as wires, cables or chains 34 and 36 each of which extends from the top of the V groove on one arcuate portion to the bottom of .the U groove on the opposed arcuate portion, these members being secured at their ends as by screws 35. Thus opposite action is insured during any movement of the upstanding support arms 18 and 20. The garbage bag for which my hanger is designed may be formed of a variety of materials of which I have found polyethylene or polyethylene coated paper best, due to its high strength, low melting point (l15-125) and non water solubility. Figure 6 shows the preferred construction of a straight plastic bag with a metal hanger strip 38 woven into a series ofopenings 40 near the upper or open end of the bag. In Figure 7 is illustrated the means for forming a bag of plastic treated paper with the metal hanger strips 38 positioned in tunnel 41, made as part of thebag 12.

- For hanging my garbage bag in the hanger, cross bars 22, 24 are notched near their bend ends as at 42 so as to provide a slot for the metal strips 38. These metal strips 38 must lie in a position against cross bar 24 for its entire length thus any operating handles such as 44 must provide space for the strip; in Figure 5 an ogee bend is provided in handle 44 at 45 for this purpose.

For sealing the polyethylene garbage bag after it has been filled I have provided heating units 46 and 48 which are normally secured to the cross bars 22 and 24. A

single switch is provided at 50 since the heaters are in a series circuit after the showing of Figure 9. This switch is used only when the bag is ready to be disposed of. The heating units-such as 46 have a core 52 which is Wrapped by the heating element 54. Around this heating core is the heating unit housing which may be formed of any suitable substance which has ,a relatively highmelting point-and will act as an electrical insulator,

or heating element 54 may be wrapped with electrical insulation, and metal used for the housing.

The insulated electrical wires 60 leading to the heating elements extend outwardly along the inner surfaces of outwardly extending arms 14 and 16 and each passes through one of the hollow hubs 19. Each wire then extends up the outer surface of the pivot arms 18 and 20 and then connects to the heating elements 46 or 48. At the opposite ends the wires 60 extend similarly down the pivot a gms 18 and 20 and pass through hubs 19 but are then connected together, thus forming the series circuit. Clips such as 62 and 64 may be used wherever necessary to hold the wires 60 in position and out of the way.

With the bag suspended and the hanger in the closed position shown in Figure 2 the current to the heating elements may be turned on. In their closed position, the inner surface of heating units 46 and 48 form an inverted V. With the heat in the units 46 and 48 being fairly uniformly distributed the bag will shear at the point of most pressure at the apex of the inverted V until unit 46 is in contact with unit 48. While this complete shearing takes place. where pressure is suflicient, a seal is provided below the apex of the inverted V since the various layers of plastic are melted together and yet are not sheared. The bag then drops free with all garbage and waste materials capable of giving oii objectionable odors sealed within. In using this type bag, the hanger strips may then be removed from the hanger and used on the next bag. When using my garbage bag hanger without the sealing heater the bag must be withdrawn from the hanger. For ease in gripping the bag during this operation I have provided cross bars 22 and 24 with cut out portions 23. After bag i2 is withdrawn from the bag holder the upper or unsealed end is closed and rolled several turns down and the extending ends of the hanger strips 38 are then bent back approximately 180 degrees upon the roll so as to hold the entire roll in place.

It will be noted that the pivot points of arms 18 and 20, represented by hubs 19, are widely spaced. An important result is obtained by this spacing, namely the weight of garbage in bag 12 is applied on the upper ends of arms 18 and 20 with a considerable force tending to Wedge heating units 46 and 48 together. This wedging action substantially seals the upper end of bag 12 so that offensive odors from the garbage will not escape and contaminate the kitchen. If the pivot points were closely spaced, the principal vector of force due to the weight of the garbage would act directly toward the pivot points and there would be but a small force tending to seal the bag.

In Figure 7 a modified type of bar 38a is illustrated in which a notch 39 is formed in each bar and the notched ends are oppositely positioned. After the filled bag is removed from the support and rolled down on itself the strips 38a may be moved longitudinally until one or both notches engage the bag and thus keep it from unrolling. Such a structure is desirable when strips 38a are formed of material that does not admit of folding over, such as plastic, wood or tempered metal.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction, of garbage bag supporting and sealing means.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A garbage disposal unit, comprising: two parallel supporting arms, each having means on one end to be secured to a supporting surface with the other end extending outwardly therefrom; two upstanding arms for each of said supporting arms, said upstanding arms being pivotally connected at their lower ends to said supporting arm at widely separated points; a cross bar extending between matching upstanding arms on each of said supporting arms; a garbage bag having the upper portion of its side walls extending above its end walls and having a series of aligned openings in opposite sides a short distance below the upper edges of said side walls; a stiff supporting strip woven in said openings of each sidewall by running through adjacent openings in opposite directions; said garbage bag depending from said cross bars with said upper portions of its side-walls folded over the upper surfaces of said cross bars and means t'orming grooves outside of the upper edge of each cross bar in which said strips are positioned thereby securing said garbage bag in place.

2. A garbage disposal unit, comprising: two substantially parallel supporting arms; a pair of upstanding arms for each of said support arms and pivotally connected near their lower ends to their supporting arms at widely separated points; two parallel cross bars, each secured to the upper ends of a matching pair of upstanding arms on the two supporting arms; a garbage bag having a stiff strip of material secured to each upper side and extending beyond the ends thereof; and a recess adjacent the juncture of each upstanding arm and the cross arm secured thereto in which one of said strips of material is positioned, with said garbage bag thereby supported at either side by a cross bar and tending to pull said cross bars together when filled.

3. A garbage bag support, comprising: two parallel supporting arms to be secured at one end to a supporting surface and to run substantially horizontally therefrom; each of said parallel arms having a pair of upstanding arms, pivotally connected thereto at widely separated points; two parallel cross bars, each secured to the upper ends of a matching pair of upstanding arms on the two supporting arms; said upstanding arms on one of said supporting arms having on their lower inner adjacent portions arcuate guide means with radially extending lugs on their peripheries, said lugs being bent to extend outwardly in staggered relation to form a V-shaped groove; and a flexible connecting member connecting the lower portion of each guide means with the opposite upper portion of the adjacent guide means, said flexible members riding in said grooves.

4. A garbage disposal unit, comprising: two horizontal parallel supporting arms to be secured at one end to a supporting surface; a pair of upstanding arms pivotally connected to each supporting arm; cross arms connecting matching upstanding arms on each of said supporting arms; a garbage bag having secured to opposite upper sides stilt metal strips; a recess adjacent the juncture of each upstanding arm and the cross arm secured thereto in which the ends of said metal strips are positioned with the adjacent upper portions of the bag folded over the cross arms; said upstanding arms having on their lower inner adjacent portions arcuate guide means with radially extending lugs on their peripheries, said lugs being bent to extend outwardly in staggered relation forming V-shaped grooves; and a flexible connecting member connecting the lower portion of each guide means with the opposite uppper portion of the adjacent guide means, said flexible members riding in said grooves.

5. A garbage bag support, comprising: two parallel supporting arms to be secured at one end to a supporting surface and to run substantially horizontally therefrom; each of said parallel arms having a pair of upstanding arms pivotally connected thereto; two parallel cross bars, each secured to the upper ends of a matching pair of upstanding arms on the two supporting arms; said upstanding arrns having on their inner adjacent portions arcuate guide means with means forming a V-shaped groove on their peripheries; and a flexible connecting member connecting the lower portion of each guide means with the opposite upper portion of the adjacent guide means, said flexible members riding in said grooves.

6. A garbage disposal unit, comprising: two horizontal parallel supporting arms to be secured at one end to a supporting surface; a pair of upstanding arms pivotally connected to each supporting arm; cross arms connectingmatching upstanding arms on each of said supporting arms; a recess adjacent the juncture of each upstanding arm and the cross arm secured thereto; said upstanding arms on one 0t said supporting arms having on their lower inner adjacent portions arcuate guides with means forming a V-shaped groove on their periphery, and a flexible connecting member connecting the lower portion of each guide with the opposite upper portion of the adjacent guide, said flexible members riding in said grooves.

Number N Date McCoy Mar. 1, 1898 Other references on following page) Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2 Freeman Jan. 18, 1910 2459970 Aug. 7, 5 Farnsworth June 24, 1919 2552259 stmve Jan. 2, Higginbottom Oct. 30, 1934 2596923 Potdeven Oct. 22, 1935 Battin May 11, 1937 10 Gustafson et a1. Sept. 14, 1937 Number Werdin May 23,

Sinith Mar. 2, 1948 6 Name Date ufi May 18, 1948 Rohdin May 18, 1948 Smith Jan. 25, 1949 Sundstrom Dec. 26, 1950 Collins et al. May 8, 1951 Spalding June 5, 1951 Bossart May 13, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Italy Jan. 26, 1951 

